Essential Oils for Your Home

Essential oils are often used to create a comfortable atmosphere and to clean the air rather than mask smells in the home. Candles fragranced with essential oil can also be used to give a pleasant ambience and aroma. Below are few suggestions, if you used all the following techniques the result would be overpowering – use fragrances subtly and in moderation.

In the kitchen area use the aroma of spices such as clove, cinnamon and vanilla. Simmer a few drops of the essential oil of cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices.

Clean the fridge with a one-drop of lavender or lemon oil added to the final rinse water.

When washing out the fridge, freezer or oven, add 1 drop of lemon, mint, lime, grapefruit, bergamot, tangerine or orange essential oil to the final rinse water.

When washing down surfaces in the kitchen 1 drop of lemon, thyme, cypress, lavender or Palma Rosa placed directly on a cloth or alternatively 7 drops in water.

Add a few drops essential oil to a pot of water and simmer on a stove.

To dispel household cooking odours add a few drops of clove oil to a simmering pan.

Geranium oil sprinkled throughout the home creates a warm, cheerful and inviting mood.

As an air-freshener put 6 – 8 drops in 600 ml of water in a fine spray bottle and spray into the air and towards carpets and curtains. (Do not spray onto velvet or silk and avoid spraying directly onto wood).

Add cinnamon oil to furniture polish and wipe down the wood.

Add 10 drops of essential oil to a box of cornflour or baking soda, mix very well, let set for a day or two and then sprinkle over the carpets. Let set for an hour or more and then vacuum.

Put a few drops of a favourite essential oil on a cotton ball and place it in the vacuum cleaner bag. Lemon and pine are nice. Rose geranium helps with pet odours.

Add a few drops of essential oil to water in a spray bottle to freshen linen or spray on garments before ironing.

To fragrance towels, sheets, clothes, etc. place a few drops of an essential oil onto a small piece of terry cloth and toss into the clothes dryer while drying.

Add 5 drops of essential oil to ¼ cup fabric softener or water and place in the washing machine.

Put a drop or two of oil onto a cold light bulb in a lamp so the fragrance fills the room as it heats up. (Not in the electrical socket!)

To rid a room of stale tobacco or cooking smells use cinnamon, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, orange, tea tree, rosemary or lime for their ability to freshen and cleanse the air of stagnant smells.

Essential oils of vetiver, cypress, cedarwood, frankincense and myrrh all make wonderful firewood oil. Drop approximately 2 – 3 drops of oil on a dried log and allow time for the oil to soak in before putting the log on the fire.

Saturate cotton wool balls and place in the corners of a room, in cupboards or out-of-the-way places to fragrance living areas throughout the house.

Hallways are the place where we greet guests. Use lemon, lime, bergamot or grapefruit. Lavender or geranium can be mixed with any of these. Lavender is uplifting in the morning and geranium has a calming effect and good for afternoons.

Sweet orange, lemon and spice oils are good when diffused during the winter months for a refreshing, warming aroma and atmosphere.

Place cotton wool balls fragranced with lavender in drawers, linen closets & wardrobes to deter moths.

Shoes can be freshened by either dropping a few drops of geranium essential oil directly into the shoes or by placing a cotton ball dabbed with a few drops of lemon oil into the shoes. 

Ideal scents for the bedroom are roman chamomile, geranium, lavender or lemon.

The bathroom is easily scented by placing oil-scented cotton balls in inconspicuous places, or sprinkle oils directly onto silk or dried flower arrangements.

Flies and moths dislike lavender oil. Sprinkle it on the outside of window frames.